Transportable multi-purpose structure

ABSTRACT

A flat-packed, transportable room is disclosed, which is intended to be usable to provide private space on demand within a larger office environment. The room of the present invention is configurable in multiple modes, such as one mode for use as a room and a second mode configured to facilitate movement, such as flat-packed.

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/576,421, filed Oct. 24, 2017 and now pending, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application is directed to a transportable privacy pod, which is usable to provide private space on demand such as within a larger office environment. The privacy pod of the present invention is self-contained and includes walls, ceiling, floor, ventilation, lighting, power, and a soundproof environment. The privacy pod of the present invention is configurable in multiple modes, such as one mode for use as a room and a second mode configured to facilitate transportation, such as packed flat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the proliferation of co-working spaces and the migration to open floor plans, privacy is impacted and office workers are demanding quiet areas, both as a space to make or receive phone or video calls and as a haven from noisy office environs for uninterrupted thought or focused work.

In response to this demand for quiet areas in the office, there are architectural solutions as well as cabinet-like products that have been developed by the furniture industry.

Permanent, architectural structures can be and have been constructed using sheet rock or other materials to form walls. Permanent structures require companies to engage construction companies and to obtain landlord approval as well as building licenses. Depending on the office location, there are several regulatory codes such as fire and safety that require compliance. Permanent structures that are built for privacy may not be sufficiently soundproof, do not provide adequate ventilation, do not provide adequate lighting, may be open at the top, or some combination. Being built-in architectural structures, such solutions are not flexible and cannot be transported once constructed.

In other forms, private spaces are created as non-permanent structures, for example as pods that do not extend to the ceiling or as enclosed areas with half or three-quarter walls. Non-permanent structures typically use materials that are of high cost and are constructed in a way that prohibits flat shipping. Logistics costs are significant for non-permanent structures due to their size, weight, and complexity, and this translates into a high final product cost. Due to weight and difficulty of assembly, this type of non-permanent structure typically requires a specialized workforce for assembly, increasing cost and limiting versatility of use. Also, typical such booths become affixed in position once assembled, which can be problematic in an open area, which is often configured for rapid rearrangement.

Although in some products noise absorption is considered, the quality of the produced noise within the booth, including its separation from outside, is not addressed adequately, resulting in overlapping sound, noise echoes, and reverberations, and producing a low quality use of the booth.

As noted, existing solutions have considerable drawbacks. Existing solutions tend to address the need for soundproofing by adding mass, which results in heavy weight. Materials, manufacturing process, logistics, and assembly at end use location, all impact both material and construction costs.

Existing solutions including full enclosures also provide poor sound and air-flow performance. Soundproof sealing shows weak areas allowing noise to leak in and out (thereby impacting privacy). Unless air duct work is built into the solution, which is not the norm, air flow is poor and a closed booth tends to heat up uncomfortably with continued use. For built-in architectural solutions, there is also need for sprinklers to be routed in due to building fire codes.

Existing solutions often lack of functionality as a work space. Often the options in the marketplace preclude use as a private working area, such as by not providing ventilation or a table area.

Existing solutions provide poor flexibility to relocate. Present solutions are arranged for permanence, not movability.

Consequently, there is a need in the marketplace for a structure that meets the concurrent needs of soundproofing, strong ventilation, good lighting, and transportability. The present invention is directed to overcoming these drawbacks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a transformable innovative structure for use as a private space, such as a private space within a larger office, warehouse, manufacturing floor, construction area, or other open and/or large area. The present invention is potentially usable as a phone booth for call making, such that the user would not be affected or impacted by external noises, and/or producing noise, that might be beneficial for other reasons and the user would not affect other co-workers. The private space of the present invention serves as more than just as a “phone booth”—it provides a private work area inclusive of a sitting and desk area, inclusive of ventilation and lighting and providing at least one electrical receptacle for a user to plug a device in for power. The private space of the present invention further includes a door with a see-through panel, where the panel allows recognition of whether the space is in use and aids in sound protection and air flow. Furthermore the innovative structure is low cost, light weight, and can be packed or assembled with ease, thereby allowing for rapid relocation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts a front facing view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross section of a wall of the booth of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts an interior view of an embodiment of the ceiling of the present invention, particularly showing a ventilation opening.

FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of the roof of the present invention, showing a mounted fan.

FIG. 6 depicts a view of a portion of the base of the present invention.

FIG. 7 depicts the wall-to-wall and wall-to-frame screw fastening system of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a cut-away view particularly showing floor slats, and potentially use of aluminum as a structural element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention consists of a self-contained transportable work space comprising a booth with a floor/base, ceiling/roof, and walls, which is easily transportable and which can be ready assembled or disassembled for easy movement. The booth of the present invention, when configured as a booth, is free standing including its own base. The side and back walls of the present invention, as well as the roof and base, are intended for ease of mobility and are formed of a lightweight construction, thereby allowing for ease in handling and assembly. When packaged, the present invention is formed as a “kit” where the various pieces are arranged for rapid interconnection using routine tools (e.g., hex key only). Soundproofing is quite strong in that advanced sound insulation techniques are used. The booth itself is structured using lightweight materials, such as but not limited to an aluminum or wood structure to concurrently give rigidity to walls and door frame.

Access to the booth is by a door, which easily opens and closes and which, when closed creates a soundproof or near soundproof seal for the entire booth. The door preferably has handles, both inside and outside, and preferably has a clear or see-through opening. The door opens/closes to access the interior of the booth. Once closed, the booth is soundproof—interior sound does not escape and exterior sound does not enter. This door is largely or exclusively formed of a flexible material such as an acrylic (e.g., PMMA) or semi-flexible material such as glass. A magnetic sealing strip is attached to the door, which mates with a comparable strip on the frame (the strip may be a part of the frame) and when mated, there is avoidance of noise leakage from inside and/or outside the booth.

The door may preferably include interior and/or exterior knobs, handles, or the like, to facilitate one's opening/closing the door while inside or outside the booth. A bendable profile for doors with a pulling edge can also or alternatively facilitate opening and closing.

The door frame may be entirely metallic, may include a metallic strip, or include metallic (ferrite material) panels attached to the wall structure or the frame to cover the wall materials so as to enable a perfect sealing with the door panel. The metal forms a secure, sound deadening seal, preferably including sound deadening materials on and/or under the metal. In one embodiment the closing of the door and/or a motion sensor can trigger the turning on of any or all of ventilation, lighting, and power to receptacles.

The floor of the booth is formed at least including a sound deadening material, which may include a cover, such as a rugged mat or other similar floor covering which provides the benefit of improving sound insulation while concurrently providing underfoot comfort. The underfloor is formed of a wood or wood particle-made structure to allow users to stand on the floor and to also improve sound insulation. There are perforations or slots embedded in at least one area of the floor for ventilation, preferably collected in one corner area or one side, to allow ventilation air coming from the outside to the inside of the booth. These ventilation slots have meshing to preclude objects falling into a slot (otherwise making retrievability a challenge) yet still allowing airflow. Regulation adjustable feet allow a user to level the booth once it is assembled. In one embodiment, wheels can be provided with the feet, and the wheels could be retractable and/or locking.

The roof/ceiling is also formed of a material providing bi-directional sound insulation, such as but not limited to a wood or wood particle made structure with noise insulation material, at least as a covering on the inside. While the internal covering could be a wood or wood-product, preferably it should include a carpet or lo carpet-like material attached to a more solid base. The ceiling area also includes one or more ventilation ducts and a lighting opening. In at least some embodiments, the roof area could also include at least one fan for ventilation. In at least one embodiment, the fan is adjustable by a user through a switch or variable control inside the booth. In practice, when in use, air enters only through the bottom and leaves through the top, flowing across and upward in the booth. The ventilation is such that air flow maintains comfort for a user without a noise level to the point of distraction.

The booth of the present invention may include a stool, fold-up or self-sustaining, which, in at least one embodiment is height adjustable. The booth includes a table for supporting, for example, a laptop computer or a writing pad. The table may include a slot, such as for placing a book. Typically, the table is formed of wood or a laminate. The table typically is mounted horizontally onto (perpendicular to) one of the walls, thereby being generally perpendicular to the wall of mount. Mounting could be done with metal members. In assembly, the table is attached by screws with pre-formed holes to the mounting members and the table assembly is slotted into a wall. A white board or chalk board may be attached to one or more walls. The booth's lighting may be of at least 500 minimum lumen intensity, potentially switchable or turning on automatically through, for example, door closing or a presence sensor, with a lighting intensity to guarantee optimum illumination while in use.

The ventilation system of the booth preferably includes at least one noiseless fan system to pull air into the booth and evacuate air from inside to outside the booth. The fan preferably has airflow of at least 110 CFM and noise emissions no more than 26 dBA. The electrical system may include at least one plug-in receptacle to allow users to charge their electronic devices while using the booth. The electrical system can supply DC and/or AC current to lighting and ventilation, with an on/off switch to power on lighting and/or ventilation systems or power off when needed.

The booth itself can have its own power supply or be connected to one, where the power supply receives power sourced from commercial AC or a generator.

FIG. 1 depicts a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing the clear opening in the door, handles, desk, and lighting opening, among other attributes. FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Booth 100 is a generally six-sided three dimensional booth with a floor, ceiling, and four walls. While in cross section booth 100 may be rectangular, it might be configured in different shapes in different embodiments, such as regular or irregular pentagons, hexagons, or octagons. In the preferred embodiment each of the walls is about 3-4 feet across and about 2-6 inches deep, and the interior height of the booth is about 7 feet high. In the described dimensions, the booth of the present invention weighs 400 pounds and is configured to ship in four boxes, each box being of dimensions no greater than 2.3 m×1.1 m×0.2 m. Any particular box weighs less than 60 kg. Different dimensions can be used for different sized booths. The entire height of the booth could be an additional 6-9 inches of height. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, booth 100 has a door 110 which is hinged and opens/closes using a handle 210. The door preferably has a clear opening 112 to allow outsiders to observe if booth 100 is in use.

Booth 100 is shown to include numerous component pieces including door 110. As shown, door 110 is at least partially see-through and is surrounded by frame 115. On at least three sides of frame 115 is metal strip 120, which might be placed in segments, which makes magnetic attraction to metal strip 130 on booth 100. Floor 140 is included on the base of booth 100. Fan 150 (shown in FIG. 5) is to be in the roof portion hidden from view by the ceiling portion 145, although in other embodiments it could be placed elsewhere, such as in a side. Fan 150 includes a frame for protection of people who might otherwise touch a blade. Lamp 160 (shown recessed in FIG. 4) is used to illuminate the space. As shown, pull chain 165 is usable to control lamp 160 and/or fan 150, but in other embodiments pull chain 165 could be replaced with a wall switch. White board 170 is shown mounted to one wall but additional white boards may also be provided, or the white board may be substituted by another writing surface, such as a chalk board. The board, or an additional board, could be magnetic. Table 180 is also shown as affixed to a wall, preferably held in place by triangular sections 181, 182 as shown. The vinyl strip 183 may be optional. Walls of the booth may be shown adorned with fabric 200, which is also useful in sound leakage avoidance and is configured to improve overall illumination in the room. Handle 210 is shown on door 110, as are hinges 220.

Although not shown, the booth of the present invention could also include embedded speakers which a user may connect with using Bluetooth or some equivalent wireless technology. Protection can be included to preclude others from also connecting concurrently.

Returning to FIG. 1, handle 210 on the interior of the door is formed of wood in the embodiment shown. A corresponding handle 211, on the exterior of the door. In assembly, handles 210 and 211 are interconnected by at least two inserted screw/nut combinations so that the two points provide stability and stiffness to the door solution. Handles 210 and 211 may have different shapes or be formed of other materials or at least one may not be in some embodiments.

Also visible in FIG. 1 is at least one recess 230 in the ceiling. A light, 240 is preferably hidden within the ceiling. In one embodiment the light is LED based (serving the combined purposes of providing sufficient illumination without generating unnecessary heat) and provides illumination for the inside of booth 100.

Broadly speaking, and as is depicted in FIG. 2, booth 100 is formed of six interconnected portions—ceiling 300, base 310, walls 330, 340, 350, and front assembly 360. Front assembly 360 includes clear panel see-through door 110 surrounded by frame 115. On at least three sides, frame 115 includes metal strip 120. Door 110 is hinged to wall 350 by insertable pins 370.

FIG. 1 depicts the frame of booth 100, particularly showing adjustable feet 800.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross section of wall 330 of booth 100. The cross section of wall 330 is generally similar to that of wall 340 and wall 350 in that each contains the same sandwich of materials which collectively provide sound insulation. The cross-section includes several layers of materials sequenced from inside to outside, as including insulating material 331 (the fabric 200 noted above), insulator 332, fibrous material 333, and outside covering 334. Insulating material 331 is preferably felt or felt-like or felt-containing material with some or all of the attributes of maintaining inside sound, reducing echo, light reflectivity, non-porous to air, and being soft to the touch. Material 331 could be a carpet or carpet like material but should preferably be of low weight and of a non-reflective color. If a carpet or carpet-like material is used, the material may include a nap or pile, such as a Berber, to provide both comfort and sound improvement. Material 331 is attached to insulator 332, such as by an adhesive. Insulator 332 is preferably formed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or equivalent of a width of about 40 mm. PET is useful for reasons including its high sound insulation, low cost, and is typically formed of reconstituted or recycled plastic. Fibrous material 333 is then attached to insulator 332, such as by adhesive. Fibrous material 333 is preferably formed of about 12 mm of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) or equivalent, which is typically formed by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibers, and combining it with wax and a resin binder. The primary purpose of fibrous material 333 is to provide structure to the wall at low cost and low weight, yet also aid in sound barrier and air flow capability. Fibrous material 333 is connected to outside covering 334, typically formed of a hard plastic aesthetically pleasing shell.

Returning to FIG. 1, ceiling 300 is formed similarly to wall 330 in that it is formed of a sandwich. However, instead of fibrous material 333, additional thickness to insulator 332 is provided. Ceiling 300 also includes a ceiling opening 410 (see FIG. 4) for the purpose of air flow. Ceiling opening 410 is preferably located in a forward section of the opening and lesser of insulator 332 is included above the opening. Ventilation fan 501 (see FIG. 5) is embedded in ceiling 300. An electrical receptacle can be included in ceiling 300, on one or more of the walls, or both.

Power for any combination of the fan, light, and receptacle can be established by a switch, such as a wall switch or a pull cord (as shown in FIG. 1). The receptacle can provide any number of plug compatible openings.

A view of a portion of base 310 is included in FIG. 6. Base 310 is formed of a sandwich similar to that of each of the walls, however slats 810 are additionally included (see FIG. 8), embedded in the structure of the base to provide structural support. The floor covering is similar or identical to material 331. Floor openings 610 are included in floor 140, with mesh protection 611. These floor openings 610 are located catty-cornered relative to vent opening 410 so as to allow for beneficial air flow. In the arrangement of the present invention, ventilation fan 501 pulls air up from the floor. Air enters from openings between the slats, through floor openings 610 and upwards into ceiling opening 410 and out of booth 100. An opening to the outside under the base or in back allows air to enter.

The present invention combines the various elements described herein to result in the present product. Further, the combination of several materials creates the requisite soundproofing at low cost and low weight, and allows for fold up capability.

Configuration of the booth will allow a minimum −29 dB noise reduction. This noise reduction is measured according to the Noise Isolation Class (“NIC”) standard ASTM E413—Classification for Rating Sound Insulation, and requires the door to be closed.

Noise absorption is achieved, at least in part, by use of soft materials used on (along or in combination with) wall construction. Materials include as examples but are not limited to PET, RPET, foams, fiberglass, rockwool, etc., which are useful for absorbing noise produced within the booth, avoiding reflections, reverberations, and improving the quality of the phone or video call as primarily use of the booth.

Temperature is controlled in part by use of the interior fan or fans, which can also include an air conditioning element. Temperature can be kept below 2 C delta from outside (e.g., room ambient) temperature, being outside temperature controlled from 22 C to 26 C and relative humidity also controlled from 40% to 70%.

With a maximum of 200 kg for the overall system and a maximum of 1 cubic meter volume, transporting the manufactured and packed product represents a major vantage versus other inventions in the field.

Assembly method: design applied on the different components leads to easy assembly by not trained personnel. Essentially, the booth opens up for assembly, without the need for expert adjustment. Floor pads may exist for balancing and aligning.

Detailed below are sample configurations:

Using FIG. 7 for reference, wall-to-wall and wall-to-frame screw fastening is used with a wooden door frame to strengthen system and door mounting.

The wall section and composition shown in FIG. 7 includes:

-   -   A compressed Polyethylene Terephthalate (“PET”) external layer         with a double color cosmetic appearance. Other alternative         compositions could include polyester fiber boards, natural         fibers such as hemp mixed with synthetic fibers like PET,         polyester, etc., or a compressed PET external layer, with a         laminated textile fabric with decoration means.     -   MDF or heavy layer material for noise blocking.     -   Double or single thicker PET layer and/or Recycled Polyethylene         terephthalate (“RPET”) for noise absorption.     -   Inner fabric.

Pieces are assembled together, such as with a plurality of screw 740 as shown.

The roof section could include wood or wood particle board, PET and/or RPET, or other soft material such as rockwool, fiberglass, foam, etc., or some combination of the above also potentially including a wood frame and metallic strips for door magnets sealing.

The present configuration allows for easy assembly. Typical assembly takes about 30 minutes. The floor is placed down, side walls are connected via screws, the roof is then attached, then the back wall and finally the door. A side wall is preconfigured with the appropriate boards (white board, etc.) The interior table is also attached via screws.

Once configured, air flow is 110 CFM. Sound is measured by advanced testing.

The benefits to the present solution include but are not limited to:

-   -   Noise reduction: −29 dB     -   Sound absorption: high quality phone and video calls.     -   Easy assembly: 15 min for trained personnel, 30 min for         non-trained personnel.     -   Low logistics costs.     -   Low final product costs.     -   Easily customizable.     -   Temperature control.     -   Flooring materials improve sound and comfort     -   Floor perforations improve venting     -   Leveling means     -   Noise insulation     -   Portability     -   Light weight     -   Rapid assembly in combination with rigidity     -   Door access     -   Magnetic seal     -   Privacy     -   Materials used for doors and walls 

1. A free-standable portable room, comprising the pieces of: a plurality of walls, at least two said walls comprising a sandwich of materials providing insulation and sound insulation; a table; said table arrangable to be perpendicular to one of said plurality of walls; a base, said base comprising ventilation slots for air flow; a roof comprising at least one ventilation fan and an internal ceiling; and a front wall including a hinged door with a see-through panel, said hinged door hinged to one of said plurality of walls and including at least one magnetic strip for mating with at least one other magnetic strip on one of said plurality of walls, said base, or said roof; wherein said pieces are arrangable to be configured to form a room.
 2. The room of claim 1, wherein said internal ceiling includes an opening for room venting and said opening is positioned to preclude directed touching of said ventilation fan.
 3. The room of claim 2, wherein said ventilation fan pulls air up from said ventilation slots through the room.
 4. The room of claim 3, wherein said base ventilation slots are arranged obliquely relative to said ceiling opening for venting, such that the air flow in said portable room is from a bottom corner area to a relatively oblique top opposite corner area.
 5. The room of claim 1, wherein said internal ceiling includes recessed lighting.
 6. The room of claim 5, wherein said recessed lighting is formed by at least one LED.
 7. The room of claim 1, wherein said room includes a receptacle for providing power.
 8. The room of claim 1, wherein said plurality of walls is covered with a sound deadening material.
 9. The room of claim 1, wherein the room is self supporting.
 10. The room of claim 1, wherein at least one said wall if formed with internal PET.
 11. The room of claim 10, wherein said at least one said wall is further formed with MDF material.
 12. The room of claim 1, wherein the escaping sound is at a dB level of −29 dB or less.
 13. The room of claim 1, wherein the room when configured for transport is of dimensions of under 2.3 m×1.1 m×0.2 m.
 14. The room of claim 1, wherein said magnetic strip when mated serves to turn on at least one of lighting and ventilation.
 15. The room of claim 1, wherein see-through panel is formed of an acrylic material.
 16. The room of claim 1, wherein said magnetic strip when mated serves to turn on both lighting and ventilation.
 17. The room of claim 1, wherein said table is configured to slot into said one of said plurality of walls and is further configured to screw on to metal support members.
 18. The room of claim 1, wherein fabric material providing sound deadening qualities.
 19. The room of claim 1, wherein said room further comprises at least one wireless speaker connectable using Bluetooth or comparable technology. 